I don’t understand how a company can walk away from such mass murder? It’s beyond me. Wednesday, December 08, 2004, 12:47:18 PM by anonymous | 2438
Too bad about the false hope but a few of those same people probably also got a chuckle out of the prank. I think the idea has legs and look forward to similar events being staged in the US. Humor may be the best salvation we can conger with a press that so universally and so closely cooperates with big government and big business. W announces he is leaving the presidency to take the place of Billy Graham whose health is beginning to fail. Great fun.
Thursday, December 09, 2004, 9:38:07 AM by Lee Dekker | email | 2449
Not only trial lawyers read this column. I think the incident portrays the decline of the major news operations - fact checking has gone out the window in the pursuit of advocacy positions. They are continuing the pattern of marginalizing both themselves and the advocates who work them. Even the BBC is apparently sinking into the muck. Thursday, December 09, 2004, 10:05:56 AM by anonymous | 2450
Having heard a follow-up interview with "Jude Finisterra" I remain unimpressed. Other than demonstrating that the BBC is clueless and a somewhat novel belief that in 2001 Dow purchased the sins of a company that Union Carbide sold in 1994 this seems nothing but an exercise in self promotion at the expense of people who were true victims of either sloppy plant operations or deliberate sabotage (if one believes UCI’s past statements). "Cruelty" comes to mind as an appropriate term, with an entertainment-rather-than-news orientation on the part of the BBC serving as the vehicle. Thursday, December 09, 2004, 12:18:38 PM by Chris Kennedy | 2452
One dead American gets more concern than thousands of overseas deaths.
Where is the shareholder pressure on Dow to take care of its debts? How about consumer pressure to boycott its products or send messages? Political will? Media attention? Nope. NIMBY so I don’t care. Thursday, December 09, 2004, 12:47:49 PM by anonymous | 2453
Appell reveals his stripes as an anarchist:
The Indian government says the death toll in Bhopal was 3,800 with 40 permanent disabilities and 2,800 partial disabilities. Where are the "tens of thousands more"?
Union Carbide settled its suit with the plaintiffs for $470M in 1989 which was to be distributed by the Indian government. The settlement was upheld and declared "more than fair" by the Supreme Court of India. It probably represented a major windfall in the lives of the disabled victims and the survivors of deceased victims.
Two independent investigations have concluded that the leakage was the result of deliberate sabotage. Were the saboteurs anti-capitalist anarchists like Appell?
"A marvelous piece of work"? What a strange reaction. This was a process breakdown in a premier news organziation and a subsequent delivery of cruel misinformation. How is this in any way something to be celebrated? Thursday, December 09, 2004, 4:28:09 PM by AngelOfTruth | 2455
I agree with AngelofTruth. "What is marvelous peice of work ?" Sombody dubbing BBC or someone raising the hopes of the victimes. I expect, in fact Insist that David Appel with this posting !!
Shame on you David, your, "Insights, commentary, and analysis about technology and its impact." is pathetic !! I expect much higher standards the MIT Tech Review Group !! Your Values and ethics are much less to be desired !! Thursday, December 09, 2004, 4:53:58 PM by /pd | email | 2456
May I recommend the book Normal Accidents (by Perrow)? It gives some analysis of systemic accidents in technology.
Operator error is almost always used to point the finger when the actual cause is politically unacceptable to face. Such as why Bhopal gets blamed on "sabotage" when the similar factory in the US had a similar accident, the safety systems in the factory were actually working. Friday, December 10, 2004, 12:05:57 PM by anonymous | 2465
